VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 '38 Trunk Lid Support

The spring broke in my '38 2dr trunk lid support. With the old spring being broken and part of it missing, I could not tell which way the new one was supposed to go in. The spring is not symmetrical; it has a larger curl at one end than at the other. The "dog" mechanism inside the support looks like a persons arm with a finger pointing straight out. I installed the spring in both ways it will fit. One way makes the dog mechanism spring loaded. The other doesn't. However, it does not work no matter which way I install it. The spring I ordered was from the Filling Station, March '06 catalog, page 18, part #GR92. Chevy's of the 40's has the same spring in their 25th Anniversary Edition catalog on page 233, part #4085735. Can anyone give me any help on this? I greased everything well with white grease before I put it together and I thought maybe there was too much grease on it so I cleaned it all off. Still didn't work. I am wondering if maybe the new spring is bent. Thanks. Stuart

See page 16 of the April 1938 Chevrolet Service News.If you don't have it I can send a copy of the page.
The curved end of the spring goes towards the end of the rod, pushing the "dog" up on that end.
Also I believe that Keith Hardy has the 1938 Service News on his Manuals site.

Thanks, Gene. No, I do not have any Service New bulletins. There is supposedly a fairly complete set on ebay at the moment through Faxon and I have been debating whether or not to get it. I guess I will but in the meantime, I sure would appreciate a picture. Thanks. Stuart

The Service News are available in reprint- see ad in G&D - Bob Hensel - Chevy Acres - Brillion,Wi., $15.00 per year ,$12.50 per year if more than one year ordered, shipping included.
For 1938 order 1937 as the new features for 1938 are in the Nov. 1937 issue, more info. in Dec. issue, plus the 1938 issues.
Picture is in the way.

Problem solved! Gene, in looking at the picture you sent, I could see that one end of the spring had to go into the indent on the dog. My new spring has a small curl on one end and a larger curl on the other. The only way it would fit as shown in the picture was to put the small curl there. However, that did not spring load the dog in any way which I felt it should. I took the spring back out and bent it up until it would hold the dog as far up as possible. Walla!!! A working deck lid support. I put it on the car and tried it 8 or 10 times and it seems to be fine. Now I guess I will have to take it back off and regrease it. Let this be a lesson to everyone though, that new parts are not always what they should be. Thanks again for helping solve this problem for myself as well as possibly many others. As you know by my private email, I could not find the service bulletins on ebay so they were probably a buy it now item. I most definitely will get them from the source you cite above. Stuart

Pls, will these same comments apply to the trunk support in my '40 Coupe? Was told via person at "Chev's of the 40's" that it is virtually impossible to get this spring inserted correctly.

Actually, I don't know if my comments apply to a '40 or not. Chev's of the 40's catalog says the spring fits 38 to 40. The Filling Station says it fits 37 to 39. I checked a third source, I & I Reproductions, and their catalog says the spring fits 37 to 40. Go figure!! I am sure if Chevgene sees your question, you will get an answer. You can always send him a private email and I am sure he will be able to help. Sorry that I can't.

The parts books lists the same spring AND SUPPORT for 1937-40.

With the re-engineering that Beamer did it sounds like it will fit nothing without bending into the proper shape.

The support was new and improved for 1938 but the replacement one sold fit 1937's also.